More and more urbanites are taking a break from work and life in the countryside. Beigang Village is an atmospheric blend of culture and nature far away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

Indigo Dyeing

Li Lin, an indigo-dye artisan, runs a workshop in the village. Li said the work helps him overcome restlessness and find peace of mind.

Li Lin with a beard and in a blue cloth hat and dark blue cotton and linen top pictured having a cup of tea in front of the sea 

Entering the warm and cozy workshop renovated from a stone structure, you can see a long wooden table covered with a blue tablecloth. Various shades of indigo flowers bloom on the fabric. A blue creative desk lamp casts a serene and mysterious glow in the room. Handicrafts such as shell earrings and canvas bags hang on the wall. Hangers full of plant-dyed scarves and garments of various colors and patterns give off a slight fragrance. Here, time seems to have come to a standstill, shedding the protective facade of human nature. 

Crafts hand-made by Li Lin

“When dyeing, you must be patient and stay 100% focused. Each type of banding technique will produce unique patterns. It can make you calm down from a fast-paced life and experience the charm of traditional handicrafts,” explained Li when he is showing the production.

Li Lin pictured instructing the bundling technique

It seems easy, but the practice proves otherwise. Before dyeing the cloth, Li wet and flattened the white cotton linen. Having used his fingertips to twist the cloth, Li tied a spiral knot with his other hand. Now, what was left was folded repeatedly and bundled up. After a while, bundling is complete. Then, Li soaked it in a dyeing jar. Ten minutes later, take it out to oxidize. Do it repeatedly. Each dip brought out different chroma, such as light blue, cyanine, navy blue, and purplish blue. It is intriguing to wait for the finished product.

Crafts hand-made by Li Lin

“Different states of mind come with different binding. Even the same technique gives rise to different chroma. The unique artistic effect is the charm,” said Li Lin. 

Stone Painting

Stone paintings at the entrance of the painting studio

Another stone house in Beigang Village is particularly eye-catching. Its outer wall is raised by motley stones. The fence is built with stones with cartoon patterns and Chinese characters. This is a painting studio created by Huang Yanqiong from Quanzhou city.

Walking into the studio, it feels like visiting an art exhibition. Captivating “Sea sparkles,” antique stone houses, lifelike marine creatures… These artworks are created by Huang. Cute animals were painted on pebbles of various sizes on the desk. The creative space makes people stop unconsciously to create.

Huang Yanqiong is painting.

“The painting gives the stones a new life. The creator conceives works based on the shape and texture of the stones. With his/her imagination and painting skills, a work of art is done,” said Huang.

Acrylic painting “Sea Sparkle” created by Huang Yanqiong

Choose a cobblestone the size of a palm and clean it. Prepare the materials and tools such as acrylic paint, cardboard, a pigment liner, and a cup. Beginners can draw a simple pattern on the stone beforehand and dab some pigments on the stone. In a moment, a leaf that took the basic form appeared on the cobblestone. When the paint is dry, apply it again. The color became more brilliant. Finally, apply a layer of transparent nail polish to protect it from erosion. A hand-painted stone is made. Easy and fun! 

Huang Yanqiong (First from Left) teaches a child to make handicrafts

On a fine day, you can visit beaches and collect shells and driftwood for painting. “We picked a lot of white shells by the sea. The children have much fun here,” said Zhang Yingying, a tourist. She added that these works are not easy to fade and can be kept for a long time. Take them home and exhibit them. And they can recall the good time in Pingtan as soon as they see them.

Huang’s 2.5-meter-tall “SpingeBob” cartoon

“The art is the interaction between people and the collision of the soul. I hope that every tourist can have a wonderful time here,” said Huang Yanqiong.

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